‘His home is the tattered tent…’: Kindness Poems

Students wrote and talked about kindness before reading the poem, ‘Small Kindnesses’ by Danusha Lemaris. In crafting their own poems, students focused on one idea, one stanza, and small ways they have been kind or received kindness from others.

Kindness has health benefits. Kindness not only feels good, but it can also boost the giver’s well-being –Psychology Today.

Mrs. Collins, 6th Grade

Acts aren’t always on stage by Everly G.

I’ve been thinking

 about the way 

someone holds the door for me

when I have full hands,

And I think an act isn’t always on stage.

Acts like giving a simple smile,

Acts like helping people up if they fall, 

Acts like making people happy or cheered up if they are upset. 

Sometimes, acts are on stage, but do they have to be scripted?

They can be in the theater, but sometimes they don’t have to be on stage.

It can be helping a little girl find her parents, if she’s lost.

It can be cheering on the actors. 

Acts aren’t always on stage

Kindness All Around by Leo B.

I’ve been thinking about the way

he helped an old lady cross,

carried her groceries,

but then dropped them,

then how she picked up the dropped groceries, then they fell again,

now holding up traffic,

no one honks because they know that they are trying to be quick,

finally all the fruits, veggies, and prepared meals are all picked up.

“Help”

screams a young voice, they turn around, and they see a little boy trapped in a fiery building,

there are fire trucks outside, but no one to be seen

Finally

the door breaks open, and the boy is in the clutches of a dazed firefighter

There is a loud sigh of relief in the air

The firefighter is applauded

There truly is kindness all around.

 

Mrs. McClain, 7th Grade- Group 1

Unhoused by Reyder P.C.

I’ve been thinking about the way I can help the man that lives under the bridge.

His home is the tattered tent that is 3 sizes too small.

His kitchen is sitting on the curb, eating the scraps found behind a local restaurant.

His neighbors are the people in the fast-moving cars of the busy street above his home.

 

The Thing About Kindness by Aivry R.

I’ve been thinking about the way we always

Let people off the bus before getting on

And how we thank the person 

Who serves you food and drinks

And how we notice when people are sad

Or how we’ll help people carry a heavy bag

And the way you hold the door open

Maybe you say hello, or wave

To your neighbours in the morning

And how you smile at people on the sidewalk

And how we pick up other people’s messes

Or when you give your friends a hug

Or compliment someone’s hair

Or tell your mom you love her

And how we still go to war and fight and argue

And how you secretly want everything to go your way

Because we think our lives are 

more important than other people’s

And you always think you’re the only one with problems

You think your problems and troubles matter more than anything

And I’ve been thinking that if we enjoyed the small things

In life that make us happy, we will be happier.

Mrs. McClain, 7th Grade- Group 2

Untitled by Anthony L.

I’ve been thinking about the way , when you talk

To people, everyone has their eyes on you

Or when you’re in the store looking for a jar 

And people please you by searching for that jar

When you’re in a restaurant, and the waitress sits you 

Down with a smile, but they’re not really having a good day

Maybe your smile back will make it better; you never know

It’s very good to be kind to each others 

Not everyone wakes up with a smile on their face like most people, but that’s why we have to build each other up every day.

 

The Power of Kindness (after Danusha Lemeris) by Levin M.

I have been thinking about the way people help pick up

After a fire. Or how the way when someone falls

You help them stand up. And sometimes, if you are having a bad day,

someone will try to comfort you. People who will help you

If you are working on a hard task, are everywhere. 

Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other; we just

want someone to hold the door for us when we are walking by.

and to say thank you. For the person holding the door.

To see your mom smile at you

when you do your chores without her asking.

It is these moments that we have to cherish,

or we won’t know what it means to be kind.

Mrs. McClain, 8th Grade- Group 3

About the Way Silas A.

I’ve been thinking 

about the way 

That when someone’s sad

We help them.

About the way

When something’s bad

We fix it.

About the way 

That we pick things up

When someone drops them.

About the way

We are kind just because.

About the way

We help the less fortunate people.

About the way

We care about things

Other than us.

About the way

We put others

Before ourselves.

About the way

We care for people 

We don’t know.

About the way…

Kindness by Madeline J.

I’ve been thinking about the way that people hold the door for others while walking,

Or how people are sitting on the sidewalk every day, 

Living on the streets just to say,

To say that they are struggling from the worst of it all,

Standing up, just to fall

Just for some money out of your pocket,

To help them eat a meal once in a while

But the money you give,

Will always come back,

The smile you’ll see on their face is worth a lot more,

Therefor kindness is not worth fighting for,

It’s a necessity that doesn’t hold a price tag,

It’s a feeling on the inside,

Something you cannot lag,

Kindness will never fail,

Something never to bail

But to love